Wake up and see the trinkets
Colourful cafe with retro vibe
SET-UP & SITE
With its brightly coloured and quirky interior fit out, Wake Up Gallery & Cafe is the antithesis of the minimalist Scandi-style eateries all around Auckland. A gorgeous retro VW combi van has been converted into the countertop with the windscreens doubling as the display cabinet, making a charming feature. The tables and Philippe Starck-style ghost chairs are in multiple colours and the walls are filled with paintings, artworks and various trinkets for sale. A video screen was playing Queen music videos the day we came, which depending on your taste may or may not add to the ambience. Wake Up is also home to a Big Hoot owl sculpture out the front and a sunny covered outdoor seating area. My companion said the eclectic mash-up of colour, art and music reminded her of the cafes in California’s Venice Beach, only with Parnell Rd streaming by.
SUSTENANCE & SWILL
The menu is quite simple with the usual brunch offerings of eggs many ways — benedict, montreal and florentine, the big breakfast and french toast. We decided to go for some of the more unusual items, my companion had the bird’s nest ($17.50) a hash brown layered with a shoots and sprouts salad, beetroot, a poached egg and hollandaise sauce. The potato cake was perfectly cooked, crunchy on the outside and made a great contrast to the beetroot. I ordered the tostadas de guacamole ($17) toasted tortilla with black bean, salsa fresca, cottage cheese, chilli oil and coriander. The toasted tortillas were small and round in a pancake-style stack, which made for messy eating with a knife and fork and even messier by hand. The black beans were also cold and while overall the flavours were good, I was expecting them to be warm. It also wasn’t a big serving, so if you’re after something filling, I would go for a bigger item like the burger or gourmet breakfast. The latte ($4.50) was Society Coffee brand and was good. They also have a selection of smoothies, fresh juices, a Good Drinks fridge and are licensed.
SERVICE & OTHER STUFF
The service was good, with friendly staff, attractive blue servingware and coloured water glasses. Thee cafe’s Wi-Fi password was on the jars of raw sugar on each of the tables. If combining a trip to a gallery, cafe and shop appeals, then Wake Up, with its retro music vibe, might be just your thing.